Saturation Study Module: Real-Time Measurement of Operator and Machine
Independent stopwatches for operator and machine with start/stop segment logging. Calculate the saturation percentage of each one in real time and get objective data to optimize your production process.
What is the Saturation Study Module in CRONOMETRAS?
The Saturation Study Module is a specialized tool in CRONOMETRAS designed to measure, in a single session, the real saturation percentage of the operator and the machine during a production process. While the theoretical saturation calculation is derived from a classical time study, this module lets you record what happens at every moment: when the machine is running and when it is stopped, when the operator is working and when they are waiting, through two independent stopwatches with start and stop buttons.
The result is a saturation % calculated live from the actual measured segments, without prior estimates. This gives you an objective basis for decisions on machine-to-operator assignment, line balancing and production planning.
Two Independent Stopwatches: Machine and Operator
CRONOMETRAS includes two stopwatches in parallel, one for the machine and one for the operator, each with its own start and stop button. As the session advances, chronological segments of running and stopped time are generated for each entity:
• Machine stopwatch logging running time and stopped time
• Operator stopwatch logging working time and waiting time
• Independent Start and Stop buttons for each stopwatch, preventing confusion between both entities' times
• Ability to reset each stopwatch separately while keeping the study's segment history
• Clear All button with confirmation to start a fresh new session
Capture with millisecond precision the actual activity and stoppage intervals of machine and operator, no spreadsheets or manually synchronized stopwatches needed.
Live %Saturation Calculation from Segments
From the recorded segments, CRONOMETRAS automatically calculates the saturation percentage of both the machine and the operator over the total study time. The formula applied is direct and transparent:
• %machine_saturation = total_machine_running_time / total_study_time × 100
• %operator_saturation = total_operator_working_time / total_study_time × 100
• Total study time computed as the elapsed time from the first to the last recorded segment
• Live results updated with every new segment, no need to close the session
• Clear visualization of each stopwatch's current state (running or stopped) to validate the measurement on the spot
Forget manual stopwatches cross-referenced in an Excel sheet: saturation data is calculated on the spot and stored with the study for later analysis.
Segment Management and Notes for Detailed Analysis
Each start/stop interval is stored as an individual segment you can review, annotate and edit to refine the study. CRONOMETRAS offers a complete management panel designed for field work:
• Chronological list of segments by entity (machine or operator) with their state, start time and duration
• Notes editing on each segment to document incidents, technical stops, waits or any relevant observation
• Offline-first persistence of segments: the session keeps working even if you lose connection, syncing automatically when the network is back
• Compatible with the app's methodology and linkable from the Reports module for advanced analysis
• Results export to compare studies, justify assignments or present data to production and management
Combine real saturation data with the history of your time study to make decisions grounded in objective measurements rather than estimates.
Optimize Your Processes with the Saturation Study Module
The CRONOMETRAS Saturation Study module turns a measurement that traditionally required two stopwatches, spreadsheets and hours of post-processing, into a guided session with immediate results. This allows you to:
- Measure the real saturation percentage of operator and machine with millisecond precision
- Detect technical stops, waits and bottlenecks that theoretical saturation does not show
- Decide objectively how many machines an operator can handle based on their real %saturation
- Document incidents and stops directly on the measured segments
- Work on the shop floor with offline-first sync, without losing data due to lack of coverage
- Combine results with the method module and the reports module for complete analysis
Based on CRONOMETRAS deployments on the shop floor, the direct measurement of real saturation typically reveals differences of between 10 and 25 percentage points compared to the theoretical saturation estimated from the time study. This difference is what justifies line balancing decisions, operator reassignments or work method redesign.
